Iranian FM Claims Recent Riots Backed by Israel to Provoke US Aggression; Says Country Now in Full Control

TEHRAN, Jan 15: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has blamed recent unrest in the country on a plot by Israel aimed at escalating the situation and prompting fresh US military intervention, asserting that Tehran is now fully in control of security.

In an exclusive interview with Fox News’ Special Report with Brett Baier on Wednesday, Araghchi dismissed reports of high death tolls circulated by US and Israeli media, stating that fatalities were in the hundreds, not thousands.

He described the violence as the work of foreign-backed “terrorist elements” that infiltrated demonstrations, rather than genuine economic protests. According to Araghchi, these actors carried out attacks against both Iranian security forces and civilians, employing tactics reminiscent of Daesh, including shootings, arson, and beheadings.

“For three days, we were not fighting protesters. We were fighting terrorists,” he said, stressing that the goal of these rogue elements was to provoke foreign military action by increasing casualties. “They wanted to increase the number of deaths. Their goal was to drag the United States into this conflict. This was a deliberate Israeli plot,” he added.

Araghchi emphasized that the Islamic Republic has restored full security across the country following confrontations with the rioters. He also expressed hope that tensions would not escalate further, warning that high-level unrest could have disastrous consequences.

The comments come amid repeated Iranian statements asserting that while the government is working to address the nation’s economic challenges, it will firmly counter any efforts to turn protests into widespread instability.